HELP!!! baby sitting 1970s ficus

Rintar · Post by **Rintar** » October 4th, 2012, 11:15 pm

The boss is off gallivanting around the world (England greater Europe then Bali) for just over a month in the meantime i have been given what should be a Pride and Joy plant. A ficus gifted to him over 5 years ago that was started (from what he has been told) as a ROR bonsai in the 70s. He is not into bonsai but has had it for all that time without killing it and it has spent its captive time (time spent with him) in his downstairs bathroom sink with decent indoor light and pinched occasionally it has not been outdoors in all that time it has had a little water each day never repotted not fertilized that he can remember. So here it is as it was left to my care on the leaf close up u can see small white bits on the branch and leaf stem it appears to be a light fungus or mould...??? Any thoughts and or help on that would be great. Apart from the ...mould... it appears to be ok health wise but not fantastic. It is now sitting in a shadier part of my back yard has been been it with our favourite seaweed extract solution. There's so much i wish to do to this little guy but its not mine to do it too i just want to get it healthy and happy before it goes back to its bathroom and not have to say to my boss I'm sorry it died....

please please please help me!!!

cheers Jas

Barry1 · Post by **Barry1** » October 5th, 2012, 6:10 am

Jas you have your work cut out with this one , very leggy in the branches and not a lot of leaf either ... I am sure with your TLC it will look better when you hand it back

Cheers
Barry

Boics · Post by **Boics** » October 5th, 2012, 7:43 am

Wow doesn't look much like any of my ficus.
Very very long branches with such little growth..
Can only assume this is in part to a complete lack of natural light..

I've read many times that ficus don't like sudden changes of light and temperature.
So a sudden move from in to outdoors may not be so good.

Anyway I have my own thread regarding the health of my own ficus on the forums here..
It appears that a little dynamic lifter "may" be giving mine a bit of a pep up but too early to tell.

The warmer months present an opportunity to repot as well and if this little guy has never been re-potted I can only assume it is strangling itself in there.
Good luck!

Isitangus · Post by **Isitangus** » October 5th, 2012, 8:12 am

I wouldn't do anything to drastic to it unless your boss has given you the go ahead, ie repot, cutting back etc!
I would do as you have done, nice shady spot with filtered light, some seasol and dynamic lifter should see this tree back to him in a better way than when it was handed over to you.
Just my 2c

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Hackimoto · Post by **Hackimoto** » October 5th, 2012, 8:22 am

I know that this is not possible seeing that you only have it for a month, but this is what I would do if I had the poor thing as I was given one years ago that had not been re potted for 32 years and was 4 foot tall.

1. Soak it in a weak solution of Aquasol or Thrive over night or for a few hours.
2. Put it in a morning sun position for 2 weeks.
3. After the 2 weeks, wash all soil off and re pot into a rich mix, cut it back hard and place into more sun. By that time it would be much warmer weather.
4. Water daily and within 3 to 4 weeks is will have a multitude of new shoots sprouting all over and it will thank you for releasing it from Auschwitz.
It is amazing how figs respond to warmth and nutrition. They can grow in a crack in a rock for years in shade with no fert and when a root reaches the ground and more sun is available, off they go. I can tell by the colour of some of the exposed roots that they are dead, possibly from just bad conditions. Don't cut them off unless you are sure they're dead. See if you can get permission from the owner to do some work on it. In the meantime I'd put it in more sun and feed it as I suggested.

More sun will probably burn those few pathetic leaves but will stimulate the tree to develop more shoots. It also looks like it has some mealy bug and probably has red spider mite. These will go once the tree is watered on the foliage and conditions are better. If he won't let you restore it to health report him to the R.S.P.C.F.

Bretts · Post by **Bretts** » October 5th, 2012, 8:58 am

You need to be VERY sure that the tree is vigorous before doing any work. I would use a liquid chemical fert like thrive for example, dynamic lifter would be great as a supplement but be carefully not to clog the soil with it. Seasol, superthrive or another hormone vitamins snake oil and foliage feeds can all help to speed up the recovery but are not essential. I would also gradually bring it out to full sun. Gradually move from morning sun to full sun.
When the boss gets back and it is looking better use that to convince him it needs better care.

Rintar · Post by **Rintar** » October 5th, 2012, 9:36 am

Thanks guys I'm glad to see I'm on the right track. Should I be spraying the leaves and branches with any fungicide or pest spray?? When he gets back from his trip I might tell him I'm keeping it for a while and that its not to go back were it was .... Don't know how he will re act but I am glad I have it it needs some help. Again thank you all.

Bretts · Post by **Bretts** » October 5th, 2012, 10:34 am

I would just pick anything of by hand at the moment. If they are persistent which is doubtful you could spray it with pest oil, make it look all shiny and healthy

Hackimoto · Post by **Hackimoto** » October 5th, 2012, 10:46 am

Avoid Pestoil and sunshine though as it could burn the crap out of it. Best to spray late afternoon and wash off next morning before the sun hits it.

Rintar · Post by **Rintar** » October 22nd, 2012, 11:03 am

going to see if i can't hold onto it for another month or so has its first signs of lower back budding finally yay....

But also ;ost a few braches that were quite dead cut them off and no sap. can someone tell me what to do with these leaves and what might be causing the problem

Isitangus · Post by **Isitangus** » October 22nd, 2012, 1:19 pm

I your worried about any leaves being affcted by pest/disease now is the time to remove them. A strong Fertilise, some seasol, sunlight an H2O will see new growth kick on.

Rintar · Post by **Rintar** » October 22nd, 2012, 1:36 pm

Thanks Isitangus

Rintar · Post by **Rintar** » November 12th, 2012, 12:22 pm

so had it for about 6 weeks now it looks healthier and is due to go back last week of this month have just re-potted it back into its original pot ( i put it in a much larger one and covered it in soil and heavy fert and watered this past 6 weeks) I have cut some of the branches off and gave it an almost full defoliate. Once i took it out of the larger pot i also removed a few of the dead roots. going into my pot it had one small life line of a root in the 6 weeks i have had it the size and amount of fresh fine feeder roots is more than 10 times. I t will go back a happier healthier tree... but for how long. two more weeks before it returns to the dungeon. Though i have been telling its owner what it needs and were it should be put and also have layed quite a bit of slow release fert in bellow the decorative sand and pebbles. hopefully that will be enough to keep it going for a while.... all comments thoughts etc welcome....

ps newbies need encouragement and the stick or we will not grow and learn so give me both damn it

cheers J

Boics · Post by **Boics** » November 12th, 2012, 7:33 pm

I reckon this is a great tree.
Besides the super leggy light starved branches it's got a lot going for it..
Really I'd love to see those spindly branches cut right back and a full bunch of leaves..
IMO It would do this tree a lot more justice.

On to your work.

Good one for bringing some life back into this guy.
Certainly looks a lot happier to me and a job well done in such a short time frame.

If only this tree could be kept outside in the sun for a few more months it will really start looking great.

toohey · Post by **toohey** » November 12th, 2012, 8:24 pm

I would prefer to water, not soak, in an organic fertiliser like Charlie Carp.Little is better than too much.
If you wanted to soak it, then you could soak it in seasol first as a tonic, especially for the roots.
I wonder whether a spray with white oil might be good in case of scale and other pests, but in the evening as to do this in the sun could cause burning.
My figs seem to thrive after such treatment.
If it were mine I would defoliate all the leaves and let them sprout again.
Regards,
Michael

AusBonsai